Bloating is a key sign of ovarian cancer – but women are ‘more likely to change their diet than visit their GP’
MOST women are more likely to change their diet than visit a doctor when they are suffering from a key sign of ovarian cancer, a charity has warned.
Persistent bloating is a warning sign for the women's cancer, which claims more than 4,000 lives each year.
New research from Target Ovarian Caner found that just one in three women would see a doctor if they were experiencing persistent bloating.
While half would try things like eating probiotic yoghurts or going gluten-free before vising a GP.
Previous research from the charity found that just one in five women could name key symptoms of the disease.
About 7,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, making it one of the most common women's cancers in the UK.
Women who have been through menopause, have a family history of the cancer, are overweight or have other womb conditions like endometriosis are more at risk.
Annwen Jones, chief executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, said: "A probiotic yoghurt should not be preventing a woman from visiting the GP promptly if something is worrying her.
"Women should not be risking their lives because of the enduring awareness gap around the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
"If women know ovarian cancer symptoms such as persistent bloating and are able to link them to ovarian cancer early on, lives will be saved."
Laura Everley, 38, thought she could have irritable bowel syndrome when she started experiencing ovarian cancer symptoms and opted to go gluten-free to try and calm her gut.
"Before I was diagnosed I was experiencing all of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, including bloating," Laura, from Crawley said.
WOMEN'S CANCER What is ovarian cancer, what are the signs and symptoms, is there a blood test for it and how is it treated?
"I thought that maybe I might have irritable bowel syndrome because there are similar symptoms.
"I’d even tried going gluten-free, but it had made no difference.
"The idea of cancer hadn’t even entered my head.
"You just never dream this is going to happen to you."
About 11 women die from ovarian cancer each day, according to the charity.
If you have ovarian cancer, cells in or around your ovaries start to grow abnormally which can lead to tumours.
Ovarian cancer may affect one or both of your ovaries.
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What are the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer?
Many symptoms of ovarian cancer are hard to recognise as they are similar to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Others have mistakenly thought that the swelling is a result of pregnancy.
Things to look out for include:
- A swollen stomach
- Feeling bloated constantly
- Needing to urinate frequently
- Discomfort in your tummy or pelvic area
- Feeling full quickly when eating
Two thirds of women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer once the disease has already spread to other parts of the body, so knowing the key symptoms to look out for is vital.
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